Letter from Washington
Greetings, fellow Exonians,
We, the participants of the Washington Internship Program, write to you under pleasant circumstances. We hope that all of our comrades back on campus are surviving their last academic month before going off for a restful summer break. To all those working on their 333s and facing impending deadlines, we wish you the very best of luck – even to those who plan to scribe the entirety of the paper on the night before it’s due.
This week, we had the blessing of going into recess and being able to leave a whole hour earlier than usual from our offices. Some of us used this week to network with a number of congressional staff, while some of us basked in the lazy state of our offices, working on letters and projects at a casual rate. It was a nice break from the faster pace and intensive rigor of the weeks that we are in the session. It was also a great time to meet new people and stay up-to-date on the current politics playing out in the capital.
On Tuesday, we had the honor of meeting Athena Abdulla, an Exeter alumna, who worked in the world of lobbying. She spoke about the stark change in the political climate since she was an intern herself – a time when the divide between Republican and Democrat was considered much more amiable.
Next, we had the great pleasure of discussing the technical world of constitutional interpretation with Allie O’Keefe, another Exeter alumna, who introduced to us the intellectual realm behind the political machine unrestricted to that of congressional offices. The next day, Lawrence Young, Vice President of PAC Programs and former lead campaign fundraiser to many Congressional Democrats, illustrated the complicated yet foundational connection we Exonians all share coming from the Academy, explained the babysitting experience of helping Congressional clients attain their seats and elaborated on his strong support for the come-back of mandatory ties for men.
This Saturday, the group was able to travel to multiple countries at once. We went to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Botswana, Peru, the Philippines and Iraq when we partook in an extremely fun festivity where multiple embassies opened their doors to the public and provided both food and activities for all those interested in their respective nations. We also had a surprise visit from #LovExists and enjoyed a good game of baseball at Nationals Park between the Nationals and the Phillies.
After six official weeks on the Hill, we have been exposed to the instrumental, yet imperfect political machine that drives national policy to our doorsteps. It has also shown us a glimpse of the true heroes of America’s government: the staffers, lobbyists and the staunch constituent bases that really represent the real policy-making power of American democracy.
Whether it’s doing an internship in D.C., working for a campaign or making those aggressive phone calls that we as interns so greatly love, we encourage all Exonians to apply the non sibi values of our upbringing on a national platform and work towards a future we could all be proud of.
Because, if Washington ever taught us anything, it’s that we are the only instruments for true progress, whether it’s on a local scale or on an international platform. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican or a self-proclaimed communist, we encourage you all to make Exeter a transcendental experience, one that could impact the world as we know it today.
Again, we wish you all an excellent week ahead and hope the tidings of a beautiful Exeter spring make way to our special campus.
Sincerely,
The WIP Gang and their single Republican